You can usually attend traffic school for a speeding ticket in Colorado, but it is not automatic and it is not something you arrange on your own. Under CRS 42-4-1717, a judge has discretion to order a driver improvement school at your expense and then suspend all or part of your fine or jail sentence once you finish.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1717 – Conviction – Attendance at Driver Improvement School – Rules The statute covers nearly every traffic violation except driving under the influence. The catch is that you have to ask for it the right way, at the right time, through the court handling your case.
Don’t Pay the Ticket
This is the mistake that closes the door before anyone opens it. Paying the fine printed on your citation counts as a guilty plea. Once that plea is entered, the case is resolved, the points land on your record, and there is no judge left to ask about traffic school.
If you want traffic school on the table, appear at the court date listed on the citation or call the court clerk before that date to ask about your options. Everything below assumes you have not yet paid.
Who Qualifies
CRS 42-4-1717 gives the judge broad discretion. In practice, traffic school is routinely offered for ordinary speeding infractions and gets harder to secure as the charge gets more serious. Speeding of 25 mph or more over the limit is a Class 2 misdemeanor in Colorado, and construction-zone speeding at that level is a Class 1 misdemeanor, both of which can carry jail time.2Colorado General Assembly. Penalties for Speeding Violations You can still ask for traffic school on those charges, often as part of a plea agreement, but the prosecutor and judge have more reason to say no.
DUI is excluded by statute. Reckless driving and other high-point offenses are a tougher sell. For drivers under 18, the rule flips: when a minor is convicted of a traffic offense more serious than an infraction, the court is required to order traffic school, not merely permitted to.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1717 – Conviction – Attendance at Driver Improvement School – Rules
How to Get the Offer
Traffic school typically comes through one of two routes. The first is a plea agreement, where the prosecutor agrees to reduce the charge, lower the fine, or hold the conviction in exchange for your completing an approved course. The second is a direct order from the judge at sentencing, with the fine or jail time suspended on condition of completion.
Either way, raise it early. At your first appearance, tell the court or the prosecutor you are interested in attending traffic school. If the court offers a diversion-style resolution for a minor speeding infraction, the clerk can often walk you through it without a lawyer. For a misdemeanor speed, talking to an attorney before your court date is worth the call.
Pick a Court-Approved School
The statute requires the school to be approved by the court handling your case, not by the DMV or the Department of Revenue.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1717 – Conviction – Attendance at Driver Improvement School – Rules That distinction matters. A certificate from a provider the court does not recognize will be rejected, and you will have paid for a course that does nothing for your case. Before you enroll, ask the clerk for the court’s accepted-provider list or check the court’s website.
Online courses in Colorado generally run $25 to $50. You will still owe court costs and, depending on your plea, a reduced fine on top of that. Budget for the full package, not just the tuition.
Before you sign up, pull together the citation or case number, the court’s name and address, the completion deadline the judge gave you, and your license number and legal name exactly as they appear on the ticket. Small mismatches cause processing delays that can push you past your deadline.
Finish On Time and Confirm the Record
Courses cover state traffic laws, hazard recognition, and accident prevention, which tracks the language in CRS 42-4-1717.1Justia. Colorado Code 42-4-1717 – Conviction – Attendance at Driver Improvement School – Rules After the final exam, the provider issues a completion certificate. Some file it with the court electronically; others leave filing to you. Confirm with the clerk that the certificate arrived before your deadline. Do not assume.
A missed deadline typically means the original penalty gets imposed, so this is not a step to leave to chance. Keep your registration receipt, the court’s order, and the completion certificate for at least a year.
Then verify. You can request your motor vehicle record from the Colorado DMV for $9.25, or a certified copy for $10.25.3Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees Check that the case shows as resolved and that no points were applied beyond what your agreement contemplated.
If You Hold a CDL
Traffic school will not keep a conviction off a commercial driver’s record. Federal regulations at 49 CFR 384.226 prohibit states from masking, deferring judgment on, or diverting traffic convictions for CDL holders, with narrow exceptions for parking, vehicle weight, and vehicle defect offenses.4eCFR. 49 CFR 384.226 – Prohibition on Masking Convictions The rule applies whether you were in a commercial vehicle or your personal car on a day off. A Colorado judge may still send you to a course for educational reasons, but the conviction will post to your CDLIS record and the points will stand.
If You Live Out of State
Do not ignore a Colorado ticket because you live elsewhere. Colorado belongs to the Driver License Compact, under which 47 jurisdictions share conviction information, and your home state will generally treat a Colorado conviction as if it had happened at home.5The Council of State Governments. Driver License Compact Colorado also participates in the Non-Resident Violator Compact: miss your court date or fail to pay, and Colorado notifies your home state, which can suspend your license until the ticket is cleared.6Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Driver Records, License Suspensions, and Reinstatement Information
Whether a Colorado court will let an out-of-state driver use traffic school depends on the judge and the plea. If distance is a factor, ask the clerk whether the court accepts certificates from online providers.
Why It’s Worth the Trouble
The direct payoff is avoiding points on your Colorado driving record. The Department of Revenue tracks points, and once you cross the age-based threshold, you lose your license regardless of circumstances.7Colorado Department of Revenue. Point Suspensions A ticket for 10 to 19 mph over carries 4 points, and 20 to 39 mph over carries 6, so a single conviction can put a driver with any prior violations close to the edge.8Justia. Colorado Code 42-2-127 – Authority of Department to Deny License
Insurance is the other reason. A speeding conviction signals risk, and rate increases of 20 to 30 percent on the affected coverage are common even for moderate speeds. If traffic school keeps the conviction off your record or results in a dismissal, most insurers never see it and cannot surcharge you for it. Separately, some insurers give a 5 to 15 percent discount for completing a defensive driving course, usually good for about three years. Call your insurer before you enroll: the course that satisfies the court is not always the same course that qualifies for the insurance discount, and you may want one that does both.